Flexible binding device.



C. B. SMITH.

FLEXIBLE BINDING DEVICE.

APPLICATION num NO v. 24, 190e.,

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CHARLES BOWTELL SMITH, OF DUNEDIN, NEW ZEALAND.

FLEXIBLE BINDING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 22, 1910.

Application filed November 24, 1908. Serial No. 464,307'.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES Bow'rnLL SMITH, a master printer, a subjectof His Majesty the King of Great Britain, residing at 91a Princesstreet, Dunedin, in the British Dominion of New Zealand, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Flexible Binding Devices; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use thc same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in book bindingdevices and more particularly to devices intended as substitutes for thestapling or sewing ordinarily employed, the present device being in thenature of an expansive band, usually rubber, and reinforced in such amanner as to allow for reasonable and necessary expansion of the rubberbut to prevent the overstraining thereof. rIhe ultimate purpose of thearrangement is to provide binding devices whereby the books or boundleaves shall open flat without, any injury to the binding.

The invention is shown in detail in the accompanying drawings wherein-Figure l is a sectional view showing the binding device in use. Fig. 2is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional viewillustrating one form in which the I binding devices shown in Figs. land 2 may be made. Fig. 4 is an elevation of a modilied form of bindingdevice.

Similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views.

Referring more particularly to the d 'awings, the numeral l indicatesthe covers of a book and the numeral 2 the leaves thereof. Forconvenience the covers may be made in sections, as shown in Fig. l, andthe binding devices, designated generally by the numeral 3, areconnected to the stationary inner sections of the covers and are passedtransversely through holes in the leaves, these holes being of suitableform.

The numeral 4 indicates a suitable backing to conceal the inner edges ofthe leaves and to connect the covers.

The binding devices 3 are indicated diagrammatically in Figs. l and 2and in these ligures are shown as being in the form of continuous bands,the ends of which are embedded in the covers and are retained bystaples, as 5. The bands may be reinforced in any suitable manner, asfor example, by the chain device shown in Fig. 3, in which a pluralityof connected chain links, as 6, are embedded in the band, the links (3being so proportioned as to permit of the necessary expansion of theband and to prevent such expansion beyond a certain degree and therebyto prevent any overstraining.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 4, there is combined with thechain links a spiral spring, as 7, the spring T being arranged tosurround the links and, with the latter, being ineased in the band. Inthis form the band, instead of being constructed as a continuous loop,as in Figs. l and 2, may consist of a straight section and to the endchain links, eyes, as S, may be secured. The eyes 3 are embedded in thecovers l and are retained by the staples 5 which pass therethrough.

I'Iaving fully described my invention, I claim:

l. I`l1e combination with a pair of covers and leaves held therebetween,of binding devices attached to the covers and passed transverselythrough the leaves, each binding device comprising an elastic band and areinforcing chain embedded therein and normally slack.

Q. The combination with a pair of covers and leaves held therebetween,of binding devices passed through the leaves and comprising continuouselastic bands and staples embedded in the covers and passed through thebands.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature, in presence of twowitnesses.

CHARLES BOWTELL SMITH.

lVitnesses I-InNiroN MAGAULAY DARBY,

JOHN STUART.

